Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer has announced the state will sue the federal government for its failure to secure the border and enforce immigration laws.

Brewer and Attorney General Tom Horne held a news conference Thursday to announce their fight in the face of a federal judge’s ruling that parts of SB1070, the state’s controversial immigration law, are unconstitutional.

The situation along our southern border has become untenable, the federal government is failing at one of its most basic responsibilities… to protect American citizens from foreign threats. There is violent drug war going on in Mexico, that violence is spilling across our borders and endangering the lives of American citizens.

The federal government has moral, ethical and legal obligation to defend our borders and protect American citizens from foreign threats. For far to long they’ve been turning a blind eye to the problems along our borders — particularly our southern border.

Simply put, its the lack effective border and immigration enforcement that has helped to create the lawless climate along our southern border. If the federal government can’t or won’t protect American citizens then individual states are going to have to step in and fill the void as best they can.